Deano

And why would that be? He has trained with us for a week and has been in pre-season training with depor reserves, granted he hasnt had any run outs but i dont see that being a problem...if Faye goes then he will definatly been thrown in...

Once again i totaly agree mate! Centre mid is the most important position to strengthen, we desperatly need someone to link midfield and attack and release our wingers....an audatious 15mil bid for johnsen at citeh would be met with great enthusiasm. Up front we need another body in, preferably a talented youngen, someone who can come in if need be and blossom in time....Derdiyok is the boy!

WOOOOOP WOOOOOOP Abso-fucking-lutely delighted!! Does anyone else have a real positive feeling about sunda's game??? I honestly beleive, and i dont think its blind optimism, that we can win on sunda. They've quite a few key players out, parts of there jigsaw missing....i think we can capitalise on it and get of to a great start! Given Beye Colo Taylor N'Zogbia Gutierrez Guthrie Butt Duff Smith Oba Thats a good first 11 imo, one capable of a top 6 finish! EDIT: Obviously with owen in the side instead of smith!! Come oooon!!

Tbh mate we're non the wiser, i think we'll be back in for him but nothing certain...its been stressful for us too in other ways, we've brought in gutierrez who looks real quality but we dont know if he'l play against manUre because of his registration details being held up at mallorca (probably on purpose) then theres the coloccini signing which hasnt been confirmed, and then there's the fact we've got a lack of fire power, martins struggling with knee and death of mother and owen unfit, then we've got smith who cant buy a goal and viduka whos fat! Sure ince will come good for you guys, he got more about him than that big nosed plonker and boro anyway! Good luck mate

I know Mr A. But If the club had signed the curly one surely they would have said so, in any media. If there was no problems with the pony tailed one surely they would have refuted the stories. Surely with the preperation and Keegan's confirmation that Oba was indeed away, we cannot expect any kind of performance from the lad. How can we expect Owen to even play never mind contribute against man u with no match practice, after several illnisses and injuries. The club have confirmed his problems. There is no disputing that Barton has pleaded guilty to his charge, at best he has missed pre season training at worst he faces a lentghy ban. This information is not a figmant of the Chronicles imagination. Officially we have signed one Liverpool reserve, one illeligible player, one french youngen of little experience. The tickets are not out yet, jesus it is 2 days from the season start. I hear ya bud and i agree holeheartedly Its a little worrying

whats the sources?

Just got my ticket for man u game thday, was well suprised there was some left!!! My mate has booked for us to travel with backpage.com anyone know how good or bad they are? or anyone else travelling with them?

Bunch of negative pessamistic morons! Life must be so exciting for you guys!

Good draw imo...we'll just be getting into the swing of things in the league and itl be a nice step down from the PL, no pressure enjoyable run out! Its these kinda games that can get the team really kicking on early in the season

Good move imo...him guthrie in middle could work

As article suggests oba is back in nigeria to sort his knee out?? And coloccini has been trainin with squad for a week, so if thats the case why wasnt he at open day? And still no announcment?? There has to be something wrong here!

KEVIN KEEGAN is ready to face his moment of truth as Sunday’s opener with Manchester United at Old Trafford is now just FOUR days away. The Newcastle United boss is probably the most positive man I have met in football and, despite all his problems, Keegan will stay upbeat. Even Keegan’s enthusiasm, though, is being tested after one of the most frustrating United pre-seasons I can remember for some time. No wonder the fans were scanning every face at today’s open day and public training session at St James’s Park. For five of Keegan’s first-team squad – Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Andy Carroll, Abdoulaye Faye and Joey Barton – have not kicked a ball in any of United’s six pre-season games, the first four because of their injuries and the latter because he has been in jail. Oba Martins continues to have trouble with his knee, and has only been seen in the first half at Hartlepool and for 63 minutes against Valencia at St James’s – and there is talk he has been back in Nigeria after Saturday’s game in a bid to get it all sorted out. Right-back Habib Beye missed the first four friendlies and came off in the last two. On the other flank Jose Enrique was on the team sheet for Saturday’s game – but it was Charles N’Zogbia who eventually turned out at left-back. The United fans have certainly taken to new boys Jonas Gutierrez and Danny Guthrie, but there was still no news from the club early today as to whether the Argentinian winger’s paperwork has come through to enable him to play at Old Trafford on Sunday. Or whether his fellow countryman Fabricio Coloccini has finally become a United player, although he has been training with them for nearly a week now.

It can't be that they've fucked up the Collo deal surely?? Would be quite some blow to the start of our season. Fingers crossed. This is newcastle mate

There was no mention of new signings, nothing at all...was talkin to a few lads sat next tome and they're getting worried at why there hasnt been an announcement regarding colocinni's signing?? its very strange.... On oba, he was very brief something along the lines of "oba isnt training today as he's gone home, we all know about the loss of his mother" Maybe its the funeral, if so id imagine he'd be back for weekend?

Was a canny little event like...two lads doing freestyle skills which was pretty impressive, and bez rambling on was amusing, but it was great to see what goes on on the training field! Few players looked like they couldnt be arsed namely zoggy and smith but the rest were impressive! Guthrie has got a tidy strike on him, hit a few great shots and gutierrez was really impressive, effortless passing and sharp finishing....scored all four goals for his side in training match. Was suprised not to see oba and beye though, KK had a few words and said oba has gone back to nigeria, but didnt mention beye, also ameobi wasnt there, hopefully this means he's discussing a move elsewhere!!! On the whole an enjoyable morning

Well I think that by spending £10 on Colloccini we havn't exactly left the defence but for me the main reason we have been so poor at the back is to do with the lack of protection in front of them. If we had a midfield who could retain posession and keep the other team on the back foot we wouldn't put so much pressure on our own defenders. As it is we too often hand the initiative to the opposition. The reason why our defence was mocked in Keegans first time in charge was because they kept making mistakes which costs us goals in important games (such as the Liverpool 4-3 and Fenton's goal for Blackburn), but the statistics showed that our defence was one of the best in the league. The reason for that was we were able to go at teams (home and away) and keep them away from our defence. A strong attack can paper over the cracks in a poor defence and a great defence do the same for a weaker attack. Unfortunately for the last few years we have had a defense that was probably not as bad as it was made to look but not good enough to cover the fact that our attack wasn't up to much either. If Colloccini can transfer his La Liga form to the premiership and we can get a really domiant midfielder to supply our (really quite good) strikers then I think we would be on our way. Agree 95% Its not a dominant midfielder we need its a midfielder with creativity and craft....guthrie/barton can be the box to box men until janurary alongside the creative addition and if that dont work, then go for a tough tackling CM in january... Fixed yer post Sneeeaky! lol i rate faye and have confidence i him being in the side, but tayls has signed a new contract and will be eager to improve on last years substandard performances.

Sounds promising...and feasbale too, sign tomorrow and unveiled on open day on wed? Whats this about taiwo? this the LB from Marseille?

Coloccini will improve our defence dramatically imo! Back four of... Beye Coloccini Taylor Enrique Pretty decent, so yeah, concentrate on improving our attacking side as we dont really have a brand or style of play anymore! Jonas Gutierrez looks like he can bring a bit of class on the flanks and Guthrie some industrial and tenecious performances in the middle but we NEED NEED NEED some craft in the engine room too! Has to be a priority now like.

Aye but taylor isnt shite at all mate, i dont get the stick he receives! Cacapa isnt shite neither just isnt the quickest

The encouraging side of it is the fact coloccini has already trained with the squad, but if he's trained with the squad i cant see why there hasnt been an official announcement??

Im a realistic optimist and i think we'l either pinch a 2-1 win or draw 1-1 Martins and Jonas the scorers in the winning result.........

Dont think its fallen through and MA trying to save money on jonas deal hs bit him in the arse, mallorca are fucking us around now... As far as coloccini deal i just cant understand why it would be taking so long???

This is starting to get ridiculus tbh, 2 and a half weeks since it came about we were after him, a week since its appeared we'd agreed terms and signed the written deal, he's had his medical and was at the match on saturday...so why the hell hasnt he signed? This is strange.... MA could end up with egg on his face after wearing a coloccini shirt at weekend.....though you'd think he'd only do that once there was it wasset in stone he had signed? Also what the fucks going on with jonas's registration, il be really pissed off if he cant play against man u like!

We know the score bud haha.... Saying that though i'd prefer moutinho or rakitic ahead of inler Derdiyok would be a great signing, what ever happened there? Werent we quoted as having "advanced talks" a while ago?

Coloccini to throw in the mix with tozer kadar and edgar in reserve....not bad to be honest though another LB would be ideal...KK speaks of being stocked in midfield and upfront and im not so sure as we are seeing now... Viduka...unfit and inconsistant Owen...class when fit Oba...class but needs to be more consistant Carrol...unproven Ameobi...Shite Smith...Lost his way So in that sence upfront we have a total of 2 strikers who CAN be of a standard we'd expect in the PL, we still need another striker imo ashton or derdiyok Midfield is a different story we have alot of stock but mostly for the flanks, we seriously lack some creativite spark in the middle, though i think jonas could be good through the middle we should still be looking for an addition in that department imo Moutinho/Rakitic Ashton/ Derdiyok Then im happy